Sanitary fixture



Jam. 2, 1940. H. R. DENNIS SANITARY FIXTURE Filed Feb. 16, 1938 ATTQRNEYS Patented Jan. 2, 1940 UNITED STATES SANITARY FIXTURE Helen R. Dennis, Chicago, lll. Application February 16, 1938, Serial No. 190,2'15` 4 Claims.

My invention relates in general to sanitaryxtures and has more particular reference to water closets.

An important object of my present invention is to provide a water closet bowl, particularly adapted for use as a urinal by women; a further object being to provide a receptacle or hopper permitting convenient use as a urinal without requiring personal contact of the user with any portion of the receiver, and which at the same time is arranged to catch and collect all liquid excretions deposited during urination, thereby promoting sanitary conditions through the elimination of the spattering of liquid outwardly of the receptacle, as commonly occurs when receivers `of the usual construction are used in a straddling, non-contact fashion. y

Another important object is to provideV a bowl or receiver of the character mentioned, having an upstanding guard at the forward edges thereof for insuring catchment, in the bowl, particularly of liquids discharged therein by a user; a.

further important object being to extend the upper portions of the guard inwardly of the bowl and to shape the same generally to conform with the physical structure of the average expected user; a still further object being to provide a relatively narrow, elongated bowl having an open top at an elevation such as to permit the same to be readily straddled without contacting any portion of the same and without requiring the user to squat to any material extent, the bowl including a guard in its forward portions shaped and congurated for the purposes heretofore mentioned.

Another important object is to provide a bowl of the character mentioned, which is adapted to be ushed in all of its portions, including the upstanding guard, by flushing, so that substantially no odor may arise from the xture.

The foregoing and numerous other objects, advantages and inherent functions and utilities of the invention will become apparent as the same is more fully understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, discloses preferred embodiments of the invention.

Referring to the drawing,

Figures 1 and 3 are sectional views illustrating fixtures embodying my present invention and, respectively, showing the fixture arranged for pedestal and wall mounting;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 in Figure 1; and

Figure i is a top view of the xture.

a part of the sanitary xture. As a consequence,"'"

such xtures are employed from a semi-squatting or straddling position, with the result that varying amounts of excrements escape outwardly of the receptacle and create unsanitary conditions in toilet rooms, particularly those reserved" for women. In fact, under existing conditions, with available standard fixtures, it is practically impossible to maintain sanitary odor-free condi- .tions in retiring rooms of the character men--v tioned except through continuous manual clean#l ing operations of a stai specially maintained for the purpose, the cost of which is usually prohibitive as an expensevitern in the maintenance of public buildings. l

To avoid the foregoin-g difficulty and the dis'vv agreeable consequences thereof, I have provided lan improved bowl or receptacle ll adapted for easy straddling by the user, without, however, necessitating physical contact, which bowl is at the same time arranged and congurated so as to prevent spattering particularly of liquid outwardly of the receiver. To this end, I prefer to y provide a substantially elongated, boat-shaped bowl Il of somewhat restricted width between the opposite sides I3 thereof, the width of the,

bowl and its height being such that the same may be readily straddled by a prospective user, with the feet of the user disposed on opposite sides of the bowl, and with the crotch of the user disposed closely adjacent the top l5 of the bowl" without appreciable squatting. This arrangement enables the device to be used with minimum effort, andv I prefer, for the purposes in View, to utilize a bowl in the neighborhood of twenty inches or more in length and of the order of ten inches in width. I prefer, also, to mount the bowl with the upper edge l5 thereof at an elevation of the order of sixteen inches above the oor level on which the user stands when using the device. If desired, the opposed side walls I3 of the vbowl may be depressed inwardly, as shown at ll, toward the upper edges l5 thereof to accommodate the limbs of the user.

To insure against accidental spatterin-g of liquid, I prefer to form at the forward end of the bowl, that is to say, the end of the bowl toward which the user faces, with an upstanding, retaining guard IS, preferably, though not essentially, formed integral with the bowl, the upper edges of said guard preferably extending an apacross the forward portions` of the bowl between the lateral sides thereof, said guard comprising lateral wing portions 23. The edges of the bowl and of the guard i9 are preferably formed with an inwardly extending ange within which, as shown in Figure 1 of the drawing, may be arranged and concealed a pipe or conduit 25 formed4 with perforations at intervalsthereinA and arranged for connection with a source of flushing liquid, whereby the liquid may be sprayed upon all of the interior surfaces of the fixture for the purpose of cleaning the same. Suitable provision for draining the bowl and/or maintaining a body of sealing liquid 2l' therein, may be provided, said drain, as shown in Figure l, comprising a serpentine conduit 2S formed in the bowl itself in position to connect with an outlet channel 3| formed in a pedestal 33 on which the bowl is mounted and supported at the appropriate level above the floor.

In Figure 3 of the drawing, I have shown a fitting adapted for mounting on a wall 35 at a suitable elevation above the floor, with provision made for connecting the serpentine channel 2S with an outlet conduit 3l extending in the wall.

The conduit for supplying flushing liquid to the flushing pipe 25 is indicated at 39, and the flushing pipe itself may be formed as an integral part of the bowl, or separately, if desired.A I

prefer, however, to form the conduit 25 as shown, and to provide a conduit 4l vin vthe walls of the bowl and connecting with the flushing conduit at the top of the guard I9. This connecting conduit may extend within` a bead d3 along the front of and to the bottom of the bowl where facilities may be provided for connecting it with the liquid supply pipe 39.

It will be seen from the foregoing that I have provided a urinal which may be easily and cornfortably straddled Without contact b-y the user, which will serve adequately to receive and collect body excrement, particularly liquid discharged in urination, and thereby prevent spattering and maintain sanitary conditions in retiring rooms. The guard i3 also is preferably, though not essentially, arranged at the forward portions of the bowl so that the device may be assembled, as in a cubicle, facing the door thereof and backing against the rear wall of the cubicle so that a person using the fixture may face toward the door, the same being considered an important psychological factor in educating Wc-men to the use of my improved sanitary device.

The guard I9 is if a size to adequately provide for its liquid catching and receiving function, yet is Suiciently low to permit persons of ordinary size and agility to readily assume the position for using the device. The rearward extension of the guard is adapted to afford complete protection against spattering, while the extension of the flushing pipe 25 into the apexial portions `of the guard insures the entire and thorough cleaning of the same to maintain sanitary conditions.

It is thought that the invention and numercus of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the.. form, construction, and arrangement of the several parts of the illustrated apparatus Vwithout departing from the spirit or scope of my invention or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages, the forms herein described being merely for the purpose of illustrating the invention.-

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

l. A sanitary fixture comprising an open, substantially at top bowl of relatively narrow, elongated configuration adapted to be supported in position permitting the same to be straddleclV without appreciable squatting and without contacting the bowl, the upper edge of the bowl at its forward portion extending upwardly and rearwardly over the open top of the bowl and being of sufficient vertical and horizontal dimension to provide a guard for receiving liquid excrement sprayed forwardly at a level above the top of the bowl and for` collecting and directing the sameinto the bowl.

A2. -A sanitary fixture as set forth in claim 1 including means forming a flushing conduit at the edges of said guard and having openings through which to discharge a flushing liquid upon the inner surfaces of said guard for the purpose of cleaning the same.

3. A sanitary fixture as set forth in claim l, including means forming a flushing conduit at the edges of said guard and having openings through which to discharge a ushing liquid upon the inner surfaces of said guard for the purpose of cleaning the same, and means forming a supply conduit extending to and connecting with said flushing conduit at the top of said guard.

4. A sanitary fixture as set forth in claim l, including means forming a flushing conduit at the edges of said guard and having openings through which to discharge a flushing liquid upon the inner surfaces of said guard for the purpose of cleaning the same, and means forining a supply conduit extending to and connecting with said flushing conduit at the top of said guard, said supply conduit extending along the forward wall of the bowl.

HELEN R.. DENNIS. 

